Zoomie Shenanagains
by queenpearl
Summary: At Lakehurst Naval Air Station, the typical shenanigans ensue. Destroyers being ammature pyrotechnics, K-type blimps hovering and all this results in a certain airship joining the fleet! EDIT: What started as a one shot has turned into an official series of omakes! Ch2: Hindenburg and Helium (He) don't mix.
1. Zoomie Shenanigans

**Omake: Zoomie Shenanagins  
**  
After New Jersey's appearance, Lakehurst had gotten up to its usual chaos. General Carter's office was full of hovering cats representing the K-types. They were annoying as they were adorable, sleeping in a curled up ball 5 feet off the ground. The actual shipgirls were well being their typical selves. When they weren't out hunting submarines they were downing sodas and making a mess out of their dorms in the ensuing caffeine rush. Without minders like Tennyru to keep them in line, it was a wonder they didn't make something explode by now.

Outside, said ships were rigging something that would change that. Huddled back behind the airship hangers sat the destroyers Neunzer, Samuel F. Davis, and Chatelain alongside their Canadian friends HMCS Champlain, the frigate HMCS Saint John and the famous schooner Bluenose who was the only civilian ship on base. Bluenose was putting the finishing touches on their homemade device. A new fangled rocket designed to fly using (yep you guessed it) whiskey as fuel. It wasn't long range but it made for great fun. The girls would've been finishing this at the docks but after one of their previous projects was shut down by the Admiral there, they took precautions and instead set up in the remote corner of the base. The only people that came here were the K-type blimps and they couldn't speak worth a damn, well unless a near constant meowing counted.

"Nearly done there Bluenose?" Neunzer asked.

Bluenose grinned, fingers snapping the last wire into place. "Just done." She replied, standing up.

Champlain came forward with the fuel, a bottle of fine whiskey and poured it into the missile's tank. Their target, a set up board 2 miles downrange. "Tank's full. Should be ready to go." She said, stowing the empty bottle.

"Clear!" Davis ordered and the group ran back as Neunzer pressed the button.

The missile soared into the air, pushing back its launcher in a powerful recoil. Its specially designed fins, something Bluenose was proud to flaunt as she made them, should allow it to fly another 3 miles after fuel had ran out. But clearly something wasn't working for halfway to the target, it's tail dropped and it tilted dangerously, little boosters trying desperately to hold it in the air.

"No good, abort, abort!" Chatelain shouted.

It was too late, the missile slammed into the ground tail first, its 10 lb bag of thankfully low level hydrogen explosives going off as soon as it tasted soil. Being out in the open, the explosion looked bigger and nastier than it actually was but boy was it loud. All the girls clutched their hands to their ears, dropping to their knees as the flames spread and then died just as quickly. Finally, the explosion dulled to a hiss.

Bluenose was the first to speak. "Well, that was unexpected." She said.

"You think?!" Nuenzer was more than ready to let the Canadian have it when Davis spoke up.

"Um girls?" She was looking at where the missile had impacted. A large blackened crater marked the spot, overlapping a previous marker that had existed since 1937. But despite the implications that Nuenzer knew she'd be getting from this, that was not was Davis was looking at. What she as looking at was the shape of a girl sprawled on her back in the center of the blackened crater. Nuenzer and the others all slowly shuffled forward.

The girl looked to be fast asleep. She had long straight blonde hair that danced across her shoulders in a golden sheen. Her clothes consisted of a turtleneck white sweater with a black vest and a pair of black leggings with running shoes. They were slightly burnt and she had burn marks on both her legs. Not fresh but scarred over. But that was not all Neunzer could see. Like a shadow effect, the same kind that allowed her to see that Bluenose was also a schooner and Saint John was also a frigate. This same ability told her that this new girl was also a kanmusu. The shape somewhat reminded her of the K-types but this girl was way too big to be a K-type. And she was German if that-that hated symbol on her vertical fins was anything to go by. It was blurred, like she was trying to hide it, but Neunzer could still make it out.

Then the girl groaned. She rolled on her side with a wince, opening her eyes which were revealed to be steely blue-gray. She blinked hard a few times before noticing she had company. "Oh, guten tag." She greeted in a warm voice that was strangely comforting. Completely unlike what the rest of her burly 6 foot frame spoke of.

The girls exchanged glances before Nuenzer, after getting an elbow in the ribs from Bluenose, spoke up. "Um, hello." She replied. "I'm USS Nuenzer. This is Bluenose..."

"Hello." The schooner gave a friendly smile and wave.

"USS Fredrick C. Davis."

"Hi." The destroyer grinned.

"HMCS Champlain."

"Nice to meet you." The Canadian said stoically.

"USS Chatelain."

"Yo, what up y'all?" She asked, slipping into her standard southern drawl.

"HMCS Saint John."

The frigate shrugged, offering a shy smile.

"Americans and Canadians?" The girl asked as Nuenzer bent to give her a helping hand. It took some effort but the girl found her feet eventually. She tested her footing, tapping one foot experimentally against the soft soil. "Huh, interesting." She mused.

Bluenose stifled her giggle. "What's your name honey?" She asked.

The girl seemed surprised by the question and she looked at Bluenose curiously, apparently observing her masts and furled sails before answering "LZ 129 Hindenburg."


	2. He STARTED IT!

**Zoomie Shenanigans: He STARTED IT!**

Hindenburg was miserable! Not because of how her ass hurt and her ears still rung from Neunzer's summoning but because of what she had learned. Her whole first life had been a lie. Everything she'd been told to believe was a deception made by a regime so evil it changed the world forever. The same regime whose symbol she had once worn so proudly on her tailfins. It could never be removed completely. She had returned with it and the best she could do was blur it out until it became illegible to anyone who was lewd enough to look but its taint remained. It would always remain and Hindenburg would need to accept that. She did, reluctantly. Which was why she was currently sitting at a barstool at Alba's, less than 3 miles from the base. Bluenose had started out the night with her but after an urgent call from a fellow schooner (something about glitter in a helium tank) she reluctantly left. Thus Hindenburg sat alone nursing her last shot of whiskey. Being German, she'd started off with her country's traditional drink but after 3 or 4 beers she discovered she needed something stronger to drown herself in. So she ordered what the red-blooded Americans had and she'd nearly finished the bottle. She downed the last and looked at her now empty glass and the empty bourbon bottle beside it.

"Barkeep, you have anything else I could try?" Her accent had become stronger the more she drank. Hindenburg wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Said barkeep was a handsome young man who was some kind of Admiral's son if she was remembering what he'd said earlier right. "Haven't had enough yet?" He asked.

"I'll have enough vhen I'm stoned as you Americans say." She replied.

"Not from around here, are you?" He asked as he put down the towel he was wiping the counter with and went looking through his cabinets to suit the German's request.

"Been avay for a vhile." Hindenburg replied.

"Must be newly summoned, yes?"

"How'd you know?" She gaped.

"Most people that come through that door are ship-spirits." He replied with a shrug. "They want something to warm them up or drown their sorrow in, I provide that. And they drink enough spirits to send 6 grown men to the bathroom without the slightest hint of nausea."

"Hmmph. Vhat's the phrase I've heard? Ah yes, Sparkly Magical Ship-Girl Bullshit." Hindenburg replied, a bit smugly. There were some advantages to being a kanmusu she supposed.

He pulled out a large bottle from the rear of one of his overhead cabinets. "Try this." He said, pouring her a glass. "It wears out the tolerance like nothing else."

She grunted. "May as vell. Danke." She downed the glass in one gulp, feeling the cold liquid burn as it went down her throat. It wasn't a heavy kind like the whiskey she was drinking earlier and it settled in a cold ring around her stomach, its inherent properties numbing everything within reach. "Very strong." She said after a moment.

He chuckled, leaving her with the bottle as he went to serve another group of customers that had just walked in.

Hindenburg downed her second glass, then a third, then a fourth. It was after the sixth or seventh shot that the liquid began to have its effect on her. The inebriation her crew had experienced was different than this. She knew that. But something in that back of her mind told her she was drunk. Rip roaring drunk in fact. Her vision was blurred, everything seemed askew as though she was looking at it... upside down?

Hindenburg blinked. Yep, still upside down, no change. What's more she felt like she was floating, actually floating! Not an unusual sensation for her but even as new as she was, she had a firm grasp on when she was supposed to be airborne. But apparently that drink had caused that grasp to fail.

"Whoa!" She cried as she drifted towards the ceiling. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she hit the hard plaster, proof that she actually was floating and this wasn't some kind of hallucination.

Just then she heard the door chime and looking down she saw two American airships. The alcohol made it difficult for Hindenburg to see straight but she could make out the markings of ZRS-4 and ZRS-5. Both looked up at her a little startled and a little amused. The German felt her face flush. "Um, a little help?" She asked sheepishly.

...

After the efforts of both airships succeeded and a ride back to race was arranged, Hindenburg found herself in the Admiral's office. Now that the affects of the liquid had subsided she could think and see with a clear head and more importantly, firmly planted feet.

 _"Great, my first day back and I screw up."_ She thought.

Admiral Caraway for his part said nothing, he just glared at her with that icy stare that spoke volumes without a word leaving his mouth. Hindenburg was beginning to wish he'd yell at her or something because that stare was starting to get a little creepy...

"Hindenburg?" His voice was unexpected and Hindenburg jumped a bit.

"Y-yes sir?"

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"N-nothing sir. No excuse sir." She answered, slipping back into the standard German professionalism that the Nazis had ingrained into her.

"Do you know what you were given at that bar?" He asked.

Now that she thought about it in hindsight, Hindenburg had a sneaking suspicion what had happened. "Helium." She sighed. Only Helium would have such an effect on her. She was a Hydrogen girl and the lighter Helium tended to have an interesting affect on her systems it appeared.

"Helium." The Admiral confirmed. "Anything else?"

"No sir."

"Good." And with that she was dismissed.

Once clear in the hallway, Hindenburg leaned against the wall and allowed herself a heavy sigh. _"That could've gone worse."_ She thought.

Her navigation system alerted her to a pair of objects approaching at high speed. There was no time to dodge and Hindenburg braced herself...

Macon and Akron slammed into her belly, snuggling into her soft folds as their little arms gripped her sides.

"How'ditgo?How'ditgo?!" Akron squealed.

Hindenburg chuckled. In the short time she'd known them, Macon and Akron had proved to be adorable, exceedingly friendly, and very fond of hugs. She rubbed their little cat ears earning herself a purr from each. Lesson #1: All ship girls love headpats. Even airships!

Both girls looked up at her expectantly and she realized she hadn't given them an answer yet. "It went, better than expected." She answered at last.

Macon giggled. "So warrmm." She said, burying her face in Hindenburg's belly.

The German rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah kiddo." She scooped her up effortlessly and bent down so Akron could climb up on her back. Macon and Akron both linked their arms around her neck, little legs bumping against her sides as she made her way down the hall.


	3. Requests, Requests

Hindenburg made a lazy left hand turn to begin the next sweep of her patrol box. Not far off, Akron was doing the same. Their patrol was taking them south towards the Carolina's. So far, it had been relatively quiet. Akron had spooked a few submarines early on but since then, neither she nor Hindenburg had detected even the slightest hint of any abyssal force. It was like they had all simply vanished. Hindenburg wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not. One one hand, it was nice to have a quiet patrol but at the same time it was war. And without a sighting of the enemy, she couldn't be sure of what they were planning. And they had to be planning something. Their strike in the gulf and now with the news from Hawaii... Hindenburg shuddered to think of what those foul creatures were doing to Pearl Harbor, to _Arizona!_

She had not lived to see the attack, not seen the war break out which she was grateful for. But at the same time she could understand her fleetmate's reaction to the news. She recalled a time from her early days, when the Nazi Party had only recently gained full control of the German government. There were celebrations everywhere. One in particular, drew out a large blood stained flag. That flag, carrying the distinctive symbol of the party, had been present during the failed takeover attempt in 1923. The blood stains were from the men who had lost their lives trying to overthrow the hated Wiemar Republic. _Arizona_ was like that flag. She was lauded, protected and in many ways, sacred, to all who coveted her. Hindenburg chuckled. It was ironic in some ways. That same coveted attitude the Nazi's displayed was part of the very fanaticism that saw their downfall.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud angry cry from Akron. Hindenburg sucked hydrogen in surprise, gaining about 150 feet before she leveled off and adjusted her rudders to turn to her fleetmate. Akron wasn't in any kind of danger but she did look mad, staring at her phone like it had suddenly become an item of the highest betrayal.

"You run out of data?" Hindenburg asked. She would readily admit her skill level with the technology wasn't as good as the Americans' but she did have a good handle on a majority of the basics.

"No! We've got unlimited but never, ever again will I take requests! Never!" Akron squealed in that shrill high pitched tone of hers.

Hindenburg winced, briefly glad that she was a Hydrogen girl. if that's what she would sound like on Helium... "What's the request?" She asked.

"The second and third Pirates movies, Catwoman, Battlefield Earth, and the three Star Wars prequels." Akron replied. "I've been duped! And I thought a San Andreas-2012 combo sucked!"

Hindenburg winced. The Pirate films she didn't find too bad but combining them with the others, yeah that was a combo that went down about as well as sugar and vinegar. They just didn't mix.

Akron was continuing her rant. "I am not taking any more requests! Ever!" She typed furiously on her phone, announcing it to all her dedicated followers.

Hindenburg watched the responses come in from her own phone. Some were apologetic, some were pleading, some were bribing her to change her mind. One in particular was from Carnival Cruise Line of all followers! Apparently they'd been enjoying Akron's request chat. "...A trip to the Caribbean? On a cruise ship?! Don't they know we _are_ ships!"

Akron snorted. "If they do, it doesn't seem to make a difference. Although, I might just take up that offer just to see what its like. But I'm still not taking any more requests!" She said and Hindenburg snorted.

Since the Americans were widely known as the Radar Master Race it was surprising that Hindenburg was the first to notice the company approaching below. She signaled Akron who poked her head below the clouds to investigate. A group of warships steaming at close to 20 knots, heading for the Gulf of Mexico. Hindenburg knew they weren't Abyssals. The lack of wrongness at just looking at them told her as much. She vented Hydrogen and lowered herself down to the cloud base to get a better look.

"It's Victorious." She said.

"What's she doing way out here? I haven't heard anything from Command, have you?" Akron asked.

Hindenburg shook her head. "Looks like Repulse and Barham are with her." She thought for a moment, then it hit her. "Damn, you don't think this is about Sara do you?"

Akron winced. "If it is, I'll have to make a run back home and get a shovel. Someone has to dig a hole out back to bury Stewart's body." She said.

Hindenburg kept her eyes on Victorious who seemed to know she was being watched for she gave the airships a friendly wave as she went by. One that Hindenburg returned before getting on the radio to the nearest station in Charleston. Saratoga and Stewart at least deserved a warning that the end was nigh!


	4. Phoenix

_Because it's the 4th and where there's fireworks or any kind of pyrotechnic stuff, there's Phoenix!  
_  
Fireworks are an inevitable part of July 4th. There just isn't an Independence Day without fireworks! So when each base in the US and those abroad that hosted US shipgirls had truckloads of fireworks brought in for the celebrations, the inevitable happened.

That inevitable began when Taffy 3 got into the fireworks. For some reason or another they decided to take a box into the summoning chamber.

"Think this'll work?" Whispered Johnson.

"Definitely!" replied Heerman in the same quiet tone. Between them they lugged a box containing Crosettes and Spiders as well as a few ground shells. Their objective, make as much noise and cacophony as possible for maximum possible summoning effect! Why? Because it was 4th of July!

With Hoel following close behind and shaking her head all the while, the three entered the summoning chamber. As expected it was deserted what with all the festivities outside. Even the Japanese shipgirls couldn't resist the temptation and for once the mess hall was completely empty as Kaga, Akagi and the other carriers took their plates of food with them to watch the show outside!

Johnson pulled out a ground shell, a simple canister that acted as a giant sparkler spitting flame at low level in all directions. A simple strike of the match and it was lit, Johnson stood back and watched the little canister work its magic. If this wasn't enough, she had the aerial mortars in the box.

 _She had witnessed the Attack on Pearl Harbor._

 _She had seen the fires of World War 2._

 _She had served her country in the days of peace that followed._

 _She had lived through the days of Korea and Vietnam._

 _She was a_ _ **survivor!  
**_ _  
Her sisters had all met their ends at the scrapyard but she had gone down at sea while flying the flag of a foreign nation._

 _Her death was sudden and unexpected and she longed to regain her honor. She ached with that longing every day!  
_  
 ** _GENERAL QUARTERS! GENERAL QUARTERS!  
_**  
 _It had been decades since she heard this sound. The call to arms, to duty._

 _Her country needed her._

 _The United States needed her._

 _Her_ _ **home**_ _needed her!_

 _ **ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!  
**_ _  
She would answer the call as any good ship would._

 _She would avenge her crews honor._

 _She would restore her own glory!_

 _Like a Phoenix, rising from the ashes, she was ready to fight upon the seas once more!_

 _ **GENERAL QUARTERS! GENERAL QUARTERS! ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!**_

 _ **GENERAL QUARTERS! GENERAL QUARTERS!  
**_  
Johnson knew the summoning had worked. She could sense it! Her radar detected a mass in the center of the summoning pool.

She identified the newcomer as a Brooklyn-class light cruiser. A visual inspection revealed her to be a redhead. She wore a thick leather jacket with a vest over it, similar in style to New Jersey. Unlike her she lacked a hat. Her hair was left to fall freely about her shoulders and back. She wore jeans with a pair of riding boots, classic of the cowboys of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

She was bristling with weapons with the 6 incher being her primary armament. She spotted Johnson about the same time the destroyer spotted her and immediately stepped out of the summoning pool. As soon as her feet crossed onto dry land her rigging vanished and she looked like a normal human girl, except for the ethreal beauty that all shipgirls seemed to possess.

Johnson sensed movement behind her and knew without looking that Admiral Richardson had entered the room, no doubt drawn by the disappearance of the infamous Taffies outside. New Jersey was right behind him.

"There you girls are! Now what kind of trouble have you gotten yourselves into..." She broke off when she saw the cruiser.

The cruiser took one look at the big battleship before her and the stars on Richardson's collar indicating his rank and stood rigidly at attention, snapping off a salute. "Brooklyn-class cruiser, USS Phoenix CL-46 reporting sir!"

New Jersey was barely able to hide her grin as she and Richardson returned the salute.

"Welcome back Phoenix." The Admiral said. "Your return is an unexpected but welcome gift."

"Thank you sir." Phoenix answered. "I'll be happy to serve in any capacity you give me." She turned to New Jersey. "Still pining after Halsey?"

New Jersey's face flushed red, then darkened as the Taffies started questioning her. "P-Phoenix, not in front of the kids!" She spluttered.

Phoenix laughed. "You're such a child Big J!" She said.

Admiral Richardson looked torn between pulling rank and intervening or letting this carry on for his own amusement. The Taffies would have to be punished, that was for sure. Bringing fireworks inside had worked out this time but thank SecNav that Phoenix responded to the summons as quickly as she did or else the little firecrackers would've lit off a few of the big canisters they had in the box.


	5. Crazy Canadians

**Zoomie Shenanigans: Crazy Canadians!**

Two months after the Sugar Rush Incident (dear god Carraway still couldn't believe that was a thing!) and Bluenose was finally let off probation. The schooner happily roamed the base. Not far away was Hindy and her bunch. The smaller American airships Akron and Macon. Each was enjoying a tasty breakfast and Bluenose decided to join them. She didn't have her usual partner in crime Theabaud with her because after the drunken schooner debacle and the awesome sugar rush cannon, it was decided that the two be separated until the insanity could quiet down. That didn't mean Bluenose wasn't capable of causing trouble on her own. In fact she was quite capable of it! And the airships own antics were well known enough for her to recognize that even without Theabaud, the base wasn't safe from schooner craziness!

"The crazy Canadian is finally let off parole." Hindy greeted her.

"So what crazy scheme do you have cooked up this time?" Akron asked.

"What makes you think I have one?" Bluenose replied innocently, hefting a container of glitter.

"Knowing you, well..." Macron shrugged.

"Not what I meant. I mean, what makes you think I have just _one?"_ Bluenose purred.

Thankfully before either Akron or Macon could inquire further the alarm bell rang. Abyssals, inbound!

"Let's go girls!" Hindy shouted and she, Akron and Macon made for the door.

Bluenose swallowed the last of her breakfast before charging out after them. "I never even got a chance to sip my morning tea!" She pouted. "Oh, they are going to pay!" Though Canadian by birth, Canada was part of the Commonwealth, making Bluenose just as British as those crazy Brits across the pond. SecNav help whoever got in the way of her precious tea! That and hockey! "And," noted Bluenose with barely restrained anger as a shell lobbed from one of the few Abyssal battleships this side of the Atlantic hit the sports building on base that held the hockey arena. "They've just done both."

Bluenose was built in 1921 as a saltbanker, a popular fishing schooner renowned for its speed and ability to take in large hauls of fish. The racing she became famous for was secondary to her fishing. When she was summoned she lacked the engine she had in later life, relying solely upon wind power. Against the iron giants that stood in the harbor, she stood no chance. That's what the experts would say. And normally, they'd be right. But this was not a normal situation. This was a Canadian schooner who had just seen her hockey ring blown to pieces by her most hated foe and had already been denied her morning tea by said foe! Iron, steel, and guns had nothing on her! She was joined by several other Canadian schooners on base, many of them old friends. Haligonian, Canadia, Elsie, and fleetmate Gilbert B. Roberts!

"Munit Haec et Altera Vincit!" They roared and charged into the harbor, rigging fully deployed. And Bluenose led the charge, wielding her glitter sprayer like weapon. She squeezed it and the nearest Abyssal went up in flames. Another squeeze and another explosion.

Not that Bluenose was a one kanmusu show. Haligonian had a mean right hook, Canadia a nasty kick. Elsie darted in and out of the Abyssal lines of fire so quickly that they ended up shooting at each other.

And Roberts was smashing in Abyssal heads left and right with "IS THAT _SUPERGLUE?!"_

At this point Hindy gave up. She completely totally and utterly gave up! Americans had their own brand of crazy, stupid and insane but this was too much for her! She was later not too ashamed to admit that she and the other airships just stood there like shocked tourists as a handful of schooners annihilated the entire Abyssal fleet!


	6. Back of the Dime

_Canadian Coast Guard Station-Louisburg NS  
_  
The summoning circle was lit as it always was right before a scheduled attempt. The war against the Abyssals had been raging for over a year now. The Americans were reeling, the Canadian fleet was decimated. Their only hope now was in these kanmusu. Japan had begun the effort 2 months earlier. England had its first successful summoning 1 week after that. And their fleet of shipgirls was now taking up the slack in the Atlantic. Canada had to find a way to do its part. That's why Louisburg was going to be the first Canadian station to summon a shipgirl. Admiral Hays would see to it!

The band struck up a song. They had many choices. Canada had produced some fine singers in its time. But the band leader, a Lunenburg native, chose Stan Rodgers. _"Once again with the tide she slips her lines, turns her head and comes awake..."_

* * *

 _She was an icon, lost and forgotten_

 **She was the flagship of her fleet**

 _She was born to be a champion._

 **She was bred to beat the best**

 _She beat them all! The_ Ford, _the_ Elsie, _and the_ Theabaud _too!_

 **She defeated the greatest racing schooner of all time!**

 _With her beloved captain by her side,_ _ **nothing**_ _could stop them except the finish line!_

 **So respected was she, she became the flagship of her nation's coastal defense!**

 _So loved was she, she became a symbol of her nation. Stamped upon its currency forever!_

 **She could hear the call and she would answer!**

 _She was born to win and she would answer the call._

 **Not for herself, but for her country!**

 _For glory, for the victory, for her beloved captain!_

* * *

 _"...Who will know the_ Bluenose _in the sun?"  
_  
The circle remained empty but there was an electric charge in the air and Hays could feel something about to happen. The band began to file out, disappointed that their efforts were for naught but Hays told them to wait. He stared at the back of the summoning pool, something was definitely happening. The water was beginning to froth like an angry sea. A wind picked up despite the fact that the chamber was indoors.

Then, almost in unison two figures appeared. They were running, legs fully stretched as they made a beeline across the pool, churning up the surface. One of them bounded up onto the ledge just in front of the other one and was in no hesitation to cry out her victory. "Beat you again T-bone." She laughed.

The other girl was grumbling something as she joined her. "Don't forget I _can_ beat you. You just got lucky this time."

"Lucky?! You were brand new then, I was a waterlogged hampered down old scow coming of a grounding... I don't think the tea races count!" The first one sniped.

"Oh so now you admit it." The other, T-bone, grinned.

The first one's face flushed red and before she could give the Yank a good old fashioned scolding Hays cleared his throat. The two ships seemed to realize they had an audience and put their argument aside. Now that they were standing still, Hays had the chance to study them. The first one was clearly Canadian, if the maple leaf pin in her hair was anything to go by. She had blue streaked white locks that were flapping about but Hays could see little fairies scurrying around and working to reel the strands back in. _"Must be a sail girl and that must be her sails."_ Hays thought. She wore simple clothes. A turtleneck sweater and rainproof pants. A pair of good ol' fisherman's boots completed the picture.

The other girl, who went by the name or nickname perhaps, T-bone, was about the same size as her companion. She had the same lean muscular frame but wore the uniform of a US Coast Guard commander. Appropriately modified for her sex. What was it with shipgirls and short, scandalous skirts. At least this one was a bit longer than the Japanese's girls. Her blond hair was pulled back under her cap. Seeing the stars on Hays' collar she reflexively snapped to attention. Her companion, the faster ship, not wanting to be outdone, did the same. Both saluted the Admiral who returned it. "Report." He ordered.

"USCGC Gertrude L. Theabaud (WPY-386)!" The Yank cried. "Ready to serve, Admiral!"

Hays was already staring at the other girl. There was no doubt now who she was. If Theabaud was here, then so was...

"Canadian fishing and racing champion schooner Bluenose reporting sir! Just point me towards that starting line!"

The summoning chamber was in an uproar almost before she'd even finished her sentence.

* * *

A pretty young woman wondered the streets of Lunenburg, seemingly with no direction but Bluenose knew exactly where she was going as she made her way down Duke towards the waterfront. Almost directly in front of her was the hull of her daughter. Bluenose II was being readied for a trip to the states. Now that Canada had figured out the art of summoning, papers needed to be sent. Their neighbors to the south had a lot more ingredients to spare once Canada gave them the recipe. Bluenose II was the fastest ship in the Canadian merchant fleet. A fact well known despite the fact she never officially raced to prove it! Bluenose was still proud of her daughter though. She'd earned her place in Canada's hall of fame and no doubt would be covered with escorts for this short trip to Gloucester. Even from this distance, Bluenose could feel her gaze on her.

She looked around her and feeling a bit mischievous, triggered her foghorn. "GOOD LUCK SWEETIE!"

A single long blast echoed across town and a few people winced but the sea faring town was used to the noise and no one cowered. Her hidden smile became a full fledged grin as she heard Bluenose II reply. Three short blasts were heard. "THANK YOU MOTHER!"

Bluenose grinned and made a right turn into the Rum Runner. The pup was a favorite amongst tourists and sailors alike being so close to the warf and Nova Scotia's star attraction. There was no doubts she would find him here.

Sure enough, she saw him in a booth next to the window. A perfect spot to watch as Bluenose II left the harbor. Bluenose let her eyes wonder over him. Wayne Walters bore some resemblance to his famous grandfather. They had the same broad shoulders and piercing eyes. As he was alone, the schooner had no problem sliding into the booth across from him.

So focused was he on staring at his ship that he was startled by the woman now sitting across from him. "Hello miss. Can I help you?"

"That depends." Bluenose deliberately made her voice as sultry as possible and delighted in how his eyes widened. She laughed. "Nah, I'm not here for that. Just messing with you." She grinned.

"So what are you here for?" He asked.

"You're not going with her?" She tilted her head in the direction of the schooner tied up at the wharf, loading nearly complete. She was almost ready to set sail.

"I've got stacks of paperwork to handle. Damn authorities want to review everything! Watson's got her handled. He's a good man." He replied.

"That he is. But your better." She turned her gaze back to her daughter. _"She_ wants you to come."

"How would you know that?" If he was surprised or thinking that this woman was crazy for saying his ship could speak he didn't show it.

"I talked to her." Bluenose shrugged.

"You talked to her." Wayne deadpanned. "Wait, was that what those foghorns were? You were _talking?!"  
_  
"How else are we going to communicate. She doesn't have a mouth you know. At least, not _yet!"_ She replied and boy was that a scary thought because if what Wayne had heard around town about these shipgirls, and how much Bluenose II seemed to use her foghorn these days she'd likely chat his ear off.

"She _likes_ you! And I take her to be a good judge of character so go on. She ain't gonna leave the dock without you." Bluenose said.

They both ended up watching as the lines were untied, the engines turned over but Bluenose II wouldn't budge. The crew tried reversing the engine, they tried powering it forward, and nothing! She wasn't moving an inch!

Wayne ran outside, determined to give his crew a good reeming out although Captain Phil Watson was way ahead of him. Bluenose could hear his rants from here and nodded appreciatively. Likewise her daughter was snickering. She was enjoying her misbehavior and the captain's colorful words made for good entertainment as well.

Wayne turned his attention away from the commotion for a moment to look at the woman beside him. "Let me get this straight. If I go along there won't be any problems?" He asked.

"Nope! Well, the foghorns might be a bit more common but let her have her fun." She shrugged.

"And you know this will work how?" He asked, still slightly skeptical. He should've been frightened away by her grin but he hadn't spent enough time around shipgirls to know what that grin meant.

"Come now Wayne don't you know? A good mother always knows what's best for her children." She replied, taking pleasure in the way his jaw dropped. She winked. "Go on, get going! And take _good_ care of her or I'll want to know the reason why. Now shoo!" She gave him a kick in the shins and even her measly wind powered muscles were still stronger than anything a human could take. He stumbled and took off running down the dock.

As soon as he was aboard it was magic and Bluenose II backed gently away from her dock, sails billowing out almost of their own accord. As she made the turn out to open sea her foghorns sounded again, the tone was strangely cheerful. Back on the dock, her mother grinned. "YOU'RE WELCOME SWEETIE. BE SAFE OUT THERE!"

The daughter's answer made her mother both grin and roll her eyes with equal fondness. Like mother, like daughter indeed!


End file.
